HR: 1330h
AN: OS22B-1161    [PDF]
TI: A Novel Tsunami Inundation Mapping Technique
AU: * Watts, P
EM: phil.watts@appliedfluids.com
AF: Applied Fluids Engineering, Inc., PMB \#237, 5710 E 7th Street, Long Beach, CA 90803 United States
AU: Walder, J S
EM: jswalder@usgs.gov
AF: USGS, Cascades Volcano Observatory, 1300 Southeast Cardinal Court, Building 10, Suite 100, Vancouver, WA 98683 United States
AU: Waythomas, C F
EM: chris@usgs.gov
AF: USGS, Alaska Volcano Observatory, 4230 University Drive, Suite 201, Anchorage, AK 99508 United States
AB: Traditional tsunami inundation maps have focused on maximum on-land inundation. Occasionally, the inundation maps are supplemented with information about maximum water velocity or timing. We demonstrate using several case studies the utility of producing maps showing 1) on-land inundation area, 2) maximum water velocity, 3) maximum water flux, 4) time of wave arrival, 5) time of wave maximum, and 6) time of wave departure. Map attributes 1-3 are related to water motion and are of particular value to scientists involved in tsunami hazard assessment. Attributes 4-6 are related to the timing of wave events and are of particular value to emergency managers. However, this raw form of inundation mapping is not easily interpreted within the usual GIS context because water velocities and fluxes are not readily understood by lay people. To improve on the GIS approach to portraying tsunami information, we employ simple engineering models illustrating the consequences of tsunami attack in a way that lay audiences can readily understand. In particular, we present maps that depict regions where a human would be knocked down, where cars would be moved, where various sizes of sediment would be moved, where anchors would break, and where ships would be moved laterally by a significant amount. Each map is separated into three distinct layers, each layer representing a different level of hazard. For example, the car movement map shows results for three sizes of automobile. Each region is depicted as a separate GIS layer. Given the uncertainty involved in numerical simulations, as well as the many local variables that can alter the outcome during a real event, these maps are meant to provide general guidelines as to the outcome of tsunami attack.
UR: http://www.tsunamicommunity.org
DE: 3022 Marine sediments--processes and transport
DE: 4255 Numerical modeling
DE: 4558 Sediment transport
DE: 4564 Tsunamis and storm surges
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting